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1️⃣ Core Data Set – What to Store
Identify the minimal CI types that directly affect service availability and compliance.
- Critical Infrastructure CI (servers, network devices, cloud instances)
- Service‑Level CI (applications, databases, middleware)
- Dependency Links (parent‑child, uses‑provides)
- Key Attributes (status, version, owner, SLA tier)
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2️⃣ Ownership & Governance – Who Controls It
Establish clear accountability to keep data accurate and auditable.
- CI Owner (product line or domain) – responsible for lifecycle updates
- CMDB Steward (IT Operations) – enforces data‑quality policies
- Governance Board – quarterly review of CI scope and retirement criteria
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3️⃣ Integration & Automation – How to Keep It Fresh
Leverage automated discovery and change feeds to eliminate manual entry.
- Discovery tools (agent‑less scans, cloud APIs) feed infrastructure CI
- Change Management system pushes version and status updates
- Event‑driven sync (e.g., webhook from CI/CD pipelines) for application CI
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4️⃣ Consumption & Value – Why It Matters
Translate the CMDB into actionable insights for operations and risk teams.
- Impact analysis for incident root‑cause (service‑to‑CI mapping)
- Change risk scoring (dependency depth, criticality)
- Compliance reporting (asset inventory, licensing, security baselines)
- Self‑service service‑catalog lookup for end‑users
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5️⃣ Implementation Cadence – 90‑Day Sprint Plan
A phased rollout that delivers value each sprint.
- Sprint 1 – Define CI scope & assign owners
- Sprint 2 – Deploy discovery & change feeds for core CI
- Sprint 3 – Enable impact analysis dashboards & governance review